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twitterPalo Verde coach Dave Castro remembered for his tough love
Defensive coordinator found dead Saturday morning at his Henderson home
Amy Beck / Special to the Las Vegas Sun
Palo Verde coach Dave Castro talks to some of his players during practice Friday afternoon at Mackay Stadium in Reno, Nev. Palo Verde will face McQueen High School in the 4A high school championship game Saturday.
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 | 8:38 p.m.
Dave Castro’s love for the football players he mentored helped the veteran educator become one of the Las Vegas Valley’s most respected high school coaches.
While that love was often disguised in the form of a stern lecture on the sideline each Friday night, Castro’s hard-nosed style always motivated his players to perform their best and created a special bond between coach and student.
Castro, Palo Verde's defensive coordinator the past four years, was found dead Saturday morning at his Henderson home, Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. He was 54.
The cause of death could not immediately be confirmed.
Less than 10 hours earlier, he was on the sideline for the Panthers 55-21 victory against Arbor View.
“It was shocking news for us,” Rost said. “God, it was just out of the blue.”
Castro is remembered as someone who always got the most out of his players — usually employing his tough-love philosophy.
“Some time you need that type of coach who is always in your face,” said Tyrone Blake, a Palo Verde senior who has been part of Castro’s defense since he was a freshman.
“I have grown so fond of him the last four years. He and coach Rost are like fathers outside of my home,” he said.
Palo Verde was scheduled to watch film this morning but, instead, most of the team went to Castro’s Green Valley area home to visit with his family.
His oldest son, Dave Castro Jr., started at linebacker last year for Palo Verde’s team that won the Sunset Region and finished 14-1. His youngest son, Jake Castro, is a sophomore on Palo Verde’s junior varsity team.
“Dave had that rough edge about him, but he also had the biggest heart,” Rost said. “The kids loved playing hard for him. He had a soft spot in his heart for all kids.”
Castro, a California native, played college football at Southern Utah and moved to Southern Nevada in the early 1980s.
He did his student teaching at Chaparral, then had stops at Bonanza, Valley, Clark, Green Valley and Durango as an assistant coach. He was Eldorado’s head coach two seasons, in the early 2000s.
He helped Palo Verde win the Sunset title in 2006 and 2008.
“He knew how to pump up the kids,” Rost said. “He was stern with them, but always fair. He was just one of those old-school coaches who always got the kids to work hard for him.”
Blake, Palo Verde’s captain, addressed the team during an early morning meeting. While Castro has helped transform Blake into a major Division I recruit, it was contributions to his personal life that stand out.
“This is such a hard loss for me,” Blake said. “He has helped me so much in my personal life over the years. He was a great man.”
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com.
Discussion: 11 comments so far…
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RIP Coach Castro
Was he also a teacher within the district? It would be nice to know he was more than just a football coach.
Coach Castro was a great man and was one of the original Assistant Coaches who helped build the Green Valley Football Program into a perennial power back in the 90s. My condolences goes out to his family!
A man who can make an impact on the lives of young men in our community is something that we should all try to measure up to be. The comment about him being a teacher within the district - guess what he was a teacher of young men.
The man was a great communicator and father figure for kids on the Palo Verde team. Was he also a teacher? I think from reading the comments from students at Palo Verde he was a teacher and more.
Best sympathies go out to his family and the Palo Verde community. He was a good man.
kirkland, my comment was not to deingrate the man. Since most coaches are also teachers, it would have been interesting to see what he taught and the reactions of those students as well.
Get a grip.
My condolences to Coach Castro's Family. My prayers to his Family, Friends, Fellow Coaches and to his Players. Thank you Coach Castro for Coaching for years with my brother Charlie Jarvis and for being such a wonderful friend to him and our Family. Rest In Peace
Our heart goes out to Laura,Jake and Bubba..Dave was a great man that believed in family and honor.Thank you Coach,Friend and Mentor.
The Brathors
Our condolences goes out to coach Castro's family. The Kyees Family has known Dave for over 30 years and watched his children as they have grown up. This is a shock to everyone and the only thing I can say is take a moment and look back on the memories with Dave Castro as a friend, father, coach, and mentor. Thanks for the friendship with Mel and all the Kyees family.
Funeral arrangements have been set for coach Castro. Here are the details. Thanks to everyone who emailed or called to share their memories.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct...
Dave, you were a huge influence on my life. You talked me into playing football in the 8th grade and talked me out of quitting football in the 11th grade. You gave me the inner strength to keep fighting no matter what. You were the reason I had the guts to walk-on in college and then fight for 8 seasons in the NFL. You meant so much to me and from what I'm reading tonight, you meant to so much to many more young men. Thank you for everything. I will miss you.
I am devistated, I played with Dave at SU, he was a stud, I was always proud to stand with him, he was tough. He is the kind of guy I wish could have coached my boy, he is the kind of guy that would set you in the correct path of life. To his family, be proud, your dad and husband was a great guy, we had fun, I was the DT in front of him, I kept the O-line off him so he could make the tackles. I am so sorry for your loss, I am also sorry that I let too much time pass, and assumed that we would see each other again. Please accept my deepest condolensces
Gil Rodriguez